TrueBlue members who redeem miles before 8/26 for travel between 9/6 and 11/7 are eligible to receive a 25% discount on the standard award cost. Unlike previous, similar promotions offered by JetBlue the discount seems to be applied instantly at checkout this time as opposed to as a rebate at a later date.

TrueBlue miles directly correlate to the cash cost of the ticket which makes this promotion even more enticing. If you have any TrueBlue miles to use and have plans for some fall travel this is a great way to squeeze out some additional value!

Term and conditions for the promo below:

Fares must be purchased using TrueBlue points between now and 8/26/17 (the earlier of 11:59 PM EST or local) for flights between 9/6/17 and 11/7/17. Fares will automatically include a 25% discount on the base fare point requirement for Award Flight redemption. Fares are subject to availability; may not be available on all flights; may change without notice; must be purchased at time of reservation; and are nonrefundable and nontransferable. Offer is limited to registered TrueBlue members in good standing redeeming Award Flight fares using TrueBlue points for new bookings only; offer not valid in connection with monetary flight fares, purchases on partner airlines or code share or interline flights, JetBlue Vacations packages, previously booked Award Flights or any other product or service. Offer cannot be partially redeemed, is not redeemable for cash, and has no cash value. Government taxes and fees apply to Award Flights, are the responsibility of the passenger, and will vary based on your departure and destination cities. The amount of government taxes/fees required for an Award Flight is listed next to the applicable point requirement and is subject to change as required by law. View more information on taxes and fees. Award Flight fares are one-way (unless otherwise indicated) and nonstop; point requirement and government taxes/carrier fees may be higher for roundtrip flights, for flights from destination city to origin city or for connecting itineraries. Checked Baggage Allowance/Fees: For Blue fares, first checked bag is $25 and second bag is $35. For Blue Plus, first checked bag is included and second bag is $35. For Blue Flex fares, two checked bags are included. Additional Baggage Terms (all fares): Additional bags (over two) are $100 each. Weight and size limits and exceptions for itineraries including flights operated or marketed by other airlines also apply. Fares do not include fees for oversized, overweight or extra baggage or other fees for products/services sold separately. View baggage fees and other optional services and fees. Change/Cancellation Fees: All reservations made one week or more prior to a flight's departure may be cancelled without penalty up to 24 hours after the reservation is made. Changes and cancellations made 60 days or more prior to departure date: Blue and Blue Plus: $75 per person fee plus difference in fare. Blue Flex: difference in fare only for changes. Changes and cancellations made less than 60 days from departure date: Blue and Blue Plus: fares under $100, $75 per person plus difference in fare; fares between $100 and $149.99, $100 per person plus difference in fare; and fares of $150 or more, $150 per person plus difference in fare. Blue Flex: difference in fare only. View Change/Cancel fees information. Additional Change/Cancellation Terms (all fares): For changes, there may be a fare adjustment. Cancellations receive JetBlue travel credit, valid for one year. Changes/cancellations must be made prior to scheduled departure (otherwise all money for fare is forfeited). TrueBlue Terms and Conditions apply. Proper documentation required for boarding. Flight terms and conditions apply.]]>La Quinta Visa to Transition to FNBO BucksBack (2% Cashback on All Purchases)Credit CardsNickMon, 21 Aug 2017 23:35:21 +0000https://ikigaitravel.com/blog/2017/8/21/la-quinta-visa-to-transition-to-fnbo-bucksback-2-cashback-on-all-purchases-3j4l3-hfw5e-slne4-se8nt580136bdff7c50b3ff27e11f:580137bdcd0f68a5e30ed55b:599b6e09be42d6f0e80dc8eaWe previously wrote about the upcoming changes/discontinuation for the La Quinta Rewards Visa. After reaching out to FNBO for comment we can confirm the following:

Current cardholders will be transitioned to the BucksBack program and earn 2 points back on each $1.00 of net purchases.

No limit on points earned.

Points expire after 3 years of when they are awarded.

Points can be redeemed at a minimum of 2,500/$25 as a statement credit, ACH deposit to an FNBO checking or savings account, or via physical check.

If your account is open and in good standing in the second half of October 2017 you will receive your new BucksBack card in the mail.

Our Take

It's fantastic to see several 2% back options popping up in recent years such as the Citi Double Cash, Fidelity Rewards Visa, and the FNBO BucksBack. While the BucksBack is not a new product and has been discussed by the fantastic Doctor of Credit back in 2015 it comes from FNBO, a very small issuer, and is limited to applicants in the following states: CO, IL, IA, KS, NE, SD, and TX. What's interesting to see is that they are offering this product conversion to current holders of the La Quinta Visa who may or may not reside in the aforementioned states. I personally do not live in any of those states and will be receiving this card. Hopefully this means we'll begin to see a roll out of the BucksBack program to more potential cardholders. A call to FNBO confirmed that the BucksBack card is available for application via phone for individuals in the aforementioned states despite there being no trace of it on the FNBO website and I doubt they would issue a conversion to the BucksBack if they had intentions of axing the program anytime soon.

The BucksBack has no annual fee and no limit on points earned which are big positives but the card still comes with foreign transaction fees and has no signup bonus. While the card is a fantastic option for people being transitioned to it from the La Quinta Visa most people are probably better off applying for the Fidelity Visa in conjunction with their excellent checking account product with ATM fee reimbursements and grabbing the $100 offer that pops up from time to time or product changing from a Citi credit card.

Update: That was quick! After less than 48 hours the promotion has ended. Hope you were able to grab a bonus card in time!

Visa and Starbucks have been conducting joint-advertisements and promotions for some time now and are back once more in earnest with another no-brainer promotion. As we discussed last December the Visa Checkout bonus gift card promotion is back once more. Even if you don't drink Starbucks you can easily resell these gift cards on a site such as Raise for a profit! Starbucks cards are always in high demand on reselling websites and make great gifts hence this deal makes it a no-brainer for almost anyone. You can send the $10 card as a gift to someone else's email and get the $10 bonus yourself or you can send it to yourself using your own email address and keep all $20.

Promotion runs from 8/14/17 to 9/30/17 or until 225,000 bonus gift cards have been issued.

If you took part in the Visa Checkout deal last December you ARE still eligible for this deal again.

Thoughts

It's great to see competition stir as Visa, Mastercard, and many of the big banks try and capitalize in the mobile-payments arena with technologies like Visa Checkout, Masterpass, Chase Pay, Citi Pay, etc. Hopefully we'll see more of these deals pop up since they provide extremely easy opportunities for profit or enjoyment.

Our co-branded card relationship with First National Bank of Omaha is ending effective September 19, 2017, at which time the La Quinta Returns Visa card will no longer earn La Quinta Returns Points. You will be advised by First National Bank of Omaha on what will happen to your account after September 19, 2017.

Until then, please rest assured....

You can still earn valuable La Quinta Returns Points forpurchases with your card, as usual, up to September 19, 2017.

The Points you earn will continue to be yours - you will not lose a single Point you've earned, including those you continue to earn through September 19, 2017.

If you have any questions, please visit LQ.com/CardFAQ for answers to frequently asked questions or call 1-800-Returns."

Our Take

The La Quinta card never offered immense value to begin with considering the small footprint of the brand and the fact that it is issued by FNBO (a small issuer that is very inquiry sensitive) but I personally chose to signup for it to start a relationship with FNBO and to take advantage of the points for a redemption in Las Vegas where the La Quinta properties offer free parking, free breakfast, WiFi, a pool, and no resort fees which is something very seldom seen in Las Vegas these days especially with the prevalence of the M life program. Hopefully we will see something similar to the Chase Fairmont or Barclaycard Sallie Mae where existing cardholders are transitioned to another FNBO product and offered an additional spending incentive but I have a hard time seeing that in this case considering there are probably very few LQ cardholders out there and FNBO is a smaller issuer but here's to hoping we're wrong! Of those cardholders probably even fewer still have an eye for credit card bonuses like those of us in this hobby do so I imagine a forced product change to a standard card offering is likely.

Check out our Trip Report video!

Julie and I just returned from our four-night stay with Hyatt at their all-inclusive Zilara property on the northern end of the Zona Hotelera, and we were blown away by our stay. What follows is an in-depth analysis of the property. If you're here because you're researching the best use of your two free nights from the Hyatt credit card by Chase, then I hope you need to look no further! Julie and I combined both of our two free nights into one reservation of four nights and couldn't be happier with our choice. The free night certificates represent a phenomenal value as it stands already, but redeeming them for an all-inclusive property such as the Zilara can help you squeeze out even more value!

The Location - 10/10

The Hyatt Zilara Cancún is located in the prime part of the Zona Hotelera and features a private beach with cabanas, a beach-front bar, and pristine water and sand. What many people don't realize about Cancún is that there are two sides to the Zona Hotelera; the ocean side and the lagoon-facing side. While the oceanfront properties enjoy marvelous views and fantastic beaches, the lagoon facing side has murky brown water and dismal "beaches." While there are water activities to do on the lagoon side such as ski-dooing or kayaking, it is nothing in comparison to the rich, azure ocean views and activities on the ocean side. While we were staying at the Zilara, we never found ourselves far from anything and all forms of activities were easily accessible via vendors on the beach or through excursion companies who operated in the lobbies of various hotels nearby. The public buses are cheap (10 pesos each way when we were there) and major commercial centers were all within walking distance. We did shell out 1,500 Pesos per person for a parasailing experience and had no trouble finding a fairly priced vendor. Speaking with other hotel guests yielded the same experience: If you find yourself wanting an excursion or specific activity, shop around until you find a fair price!

The Property - 9.5/10

The hotel never left us disappointed as anything we wanted was easily accessible. The beach is a stone's throw away from the pool and the waiters constantly patrol the beach and the pool to take drink orders, bring or collect towels, and provide recommendations on activities. What we really enjoyed about the resort was the spa. There are additional services such as massages available for charge, but the complimentary aspects of the spa alone were out of this world! There are multiple pools of various temperatures, a sauna, a steam room, a cold dip, and recliners with complimentary fruit and water available nearby so you can relax and re-hydrate between spa sessions. Between the multiple restaurants, the pool, the spa, and the beach, we never found ourselves bored or needing to leave the area surrounding the hotel for some action. We did bus around a bit to do some window shopping and visit some nightclubs, but one could easily while away the day with a cold drink in their hand on the sandy beach in front of the Zilara and be more than happy. The property was built in 2007 and shows absolutely no signs of age or wear from what I could tell. The staff keep every aspect of the resort in tip-top shape and they make sure it is very clean and well-kept at all times. The one qualm I have, being a taller-than-average person, is that many doorways in the hotel do not seem to accommodate tall people very well. As a 6'3" chap I found myself ducking into doorways or bumping my head far too often. Not a deal breaker by any means but definitely an annoyance.

The Room - 10/10

I received a complimentary upgrade to a higher floor thanks to my Discoverist status with Hyatt. The room itself was the same as any of the other standard rooms but the improved view was definitely enjoyable. The room had a complimentary mini-bar and fully stocked mini-fridge which was replenished twice a day by housekeeping with all sorts of beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic alike such as juices, waters, iced tea, etc.) What really made the room shine was the amazing view of the ocean and the 24-hour complimentary room service. While the room service menu differed slightly from what was available at the restaurants directly the choices were still widespread and all delicious. Being able to have a night out at one of the many nightclubs in Cancún and return to the hotel and eat delicious food in the comfort of your own room at 2:00 a.m. for no cost is truly an experience!

Quality of Service 9/10

The service we received from almost every staff member we interacted with was simply phenomenal. Every restaurant on the property is free of additional charge with the all-inclusive package, and while some restaurants require reservations ahead of time such as the Teppanyaki/Japanese cuisine restaurant, Asiana, and the upscale, fine dining experience Chef's Plate, we had no issue securing reservations by speaking to the Concierge. Regardless of if we were enjoying a casual buffet or if we were wining and dining at Chef's Plate we received the same, outstanding service everywhere we went. The staff is friendly and will do everything they can to make your stay enjoyable. You will receive this service everywhere you go, from the poolside waiters who watch from afar and always pop in and ask that magical question we all love to hear, "Would you like another drink?" right as you are taking the last sips of your beverage in your cabana, to the wait staff at Chef's Plate who swiftly clear your plates and place down the next course before asking if you'd like another glass of wine. The service is great all-around and every employee seemed to be both skilled and happy with their job with the exception of one waiter at Asiana who seemed confused when Julie, who is Japanese, expressed her bewilderment why there was soy sauce drizzled all over her sashimi (something that is never done in traditional Japanese cuisine.) Julie is mildly allergic to soy and asked for a new plate without soy sauce, to which the waiter replied "That's how it is made" even though we could see the sushi chef preparing the dishes from scratch. I hardly think it is impossible not to put soy sauce. I would chalk this up to cultural differences more so than poor service since all of the staff at Asiana seemed out of their element. They did not seem to be familiar with Japanese culinary tradition or style, and all the dishes made you raise your eyebrows if you were even slightly familiar with Japanese cuisine or customs. Soy sauce drizzled over essentially everything ranging from sushi and sashimi to rice that comes pre-doused in soy sauce or tuna steak sitting in a pool of salty soy sauce was the norm at Asiana. While it was disappointing it was luckily the only hiccup in our stay and arguably the only bad thing I can think to say in regards to the food.

The Food - 9/10

The food at Asiana was so-so, not good, not bad, and I was genuinely surprised that Asiana in particular was sub-par in comparison to the other restaurants on-site considering the Zilara Cancún is a popular destination for Japanese honeymooners. We ate there twice, once for lunch and once for dinner, and while the Teppanyaki was fun due to the show aspect of it, the food was still unfortunately over-salted to the utmost degree due to the over-use of soy sauce on everything. I believe the staff were trained that using soy sauce magically makes a dish "Asian" and so they use it on everything even when unnecessary or when it makes no sense to do so.

That being said, the other restaurants were fantastic! There are a total of six full-service restaurants on-site, a coffee shop, and a 24-hour self-service lounge with assorted snacks and drinks.

We had a chance to try each restaurant at least twice, with the exception of Chef's Plate which we ate at once.

The food at every location, except Asiana, was fantastic. There was something for everybody at each of the restaurants, and you could see the attention to detail paid by the chefs to each dish. Even the pickiest of eaters would find something to enjoy at each restaurant. We found ourselves eating at Pelicanos the most to enjoy the ocean view while drinking margaritas and enjoying appetizers. The buffalo wings alone were something worth coming back for, but the array of tacos they had were what had us dining at Pelicanos the most.

The Hyatt Zilara Cancún was truly a stay to remember and we would highly recommend it to anyone, especially those looking to get the best value out of their free night certificates from the Hyatt credit card. While the prices can become a tad absurd in peak travel seasons, such as spring break, the property still maintains a very fair price during the rest of the year. Many people don't know that you are able to book the Zilara properties using points by calling the World of Hyatt reservation number, which is exactly what we did! Whether you are redeeming points or free night certificates, it will require a quick chat with a World of Hyatt representative. When I spoke with them over the phone to book all four nights, the representative was prompt, professional, and knowledgeable so I was able to call, book my nights, and hang up within 10 minutes. The point redemption chart for the Zilara/Ziva hotels can be seen here: World of Hyatt Free Nights & Upgrades. Definitely consider the Hyatt Zilara Cancún on your next trip to Cancún and absolutely consider this lovely property for your free night certificates or point stays to get a truly phenomenal value.

These comments and testimony are in no way sponsored or affiliated with Hyatt, World of Hyatt, or Hyatt Zilara Cancún. These comments and testimony solely reflect our personal experience and recommendations.

Starbucks is currently offering a promotion through their partnership with Visa Checkout where you will earn a $10 bonus gift card after loading $10 or more with Visa Checkout in the Starbucks app. The $10 bonus code will be emailed to you within 24 hours after completing your initial purchase.

This promotion has been making its rounds on the internet but one point that is overlooked by most is Starbucks' Gift Card cash-out policy! If you live in the state of California or find yourself in the golden state for business or leisure you can actually walk into any Starbucks and request them to give you cash in exchange for a gift card that has $10 or less on it. This is a state-mandated law for businesses to offer cash-outs on gift cards of low denominations. If you ask the cashier nicely they will be happy to cash out your gift card for you. $10 free Starbucks! This promotion is limited quantity so act quickly.

I recently signed up for the U.S. Bank FlexPerks Visa credit card during the Olympic Promo. Card holders were awarded bonus points depending on the number of Olympic medals won by the US team in Brazil in addition to the regular signup bonus of 20,000 points. Reports on reddit indicate that some have been receiving their bonus points upon the statement close date this month. I can indeed confirm that this is the case.

I received my 20,000 signup bonus in addition to the 14,800 bonus points from the Olympic Promo!

I signed up for the FlexPerks Visa alongside the FlexPerks Gold Amex to combine pulls. I was also approved for that card and received the bonus this past week too.

These two bonuses combined with the FlexPerks Amex (non-Gold) bonus I received a few months back put my running total of FlexPerks points at almost 100,000! These points will definitely go a long way towards our travel expenses. Julie and I are planning on chasing status with Alaska Airlines in 2017 and a big premise of our blog is our goal of gaining Million Miler with Alaska as quickly as possible! A potential redemption we had in mind was SEA>FLL since this is one of the longest domestic flights in the United States and it is one of the longest direct flight paths that Alaska Airlines flies.

If you are familiar with the credit card churning hobby to any degree you will know that Wells Fargo is notoriously bad about offering credit card incentives unlike its competitors. Wells Fargo offers a paltry line up of cards compared to big players in the credit card game such as Chase and Citi and to my knowledge there are currently no publicly available co-branded credit cards offered by Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo is able to skate by without offering these incentives due largely in part to the fact that it is the third largest bank in the United States as well as the fact that a large number of Wells Fargo's customer base is made up of students or young adults with thin credit files.

As reported first on Doctor of Credit WF is now offering a $150 bonus after $1,000 in spend on two of their credit cards. While normally I would not recommend applying for these cards directly, even with this bonus, since you can easily earn more than $150 for the cost of a hard credit pull, I can see the use of these offers now if you were eyeing WF for their generous Cellular Telephone Protection benefit which is offered on all of their credit cards.

I decided to pull the trigger on both the Cash Wise and the Wells Fargo Rewards card since it has been reported that multiple WF inquiries made in the same day are combined. Was instantly approved for the Cash Wise and received pending on the second application. Wells Fargo, you tease! There is a fine print stipulation on all Wells Fargo credit card applications that bonuses are not available to you if you have received another Wells Fargo bonus in the last 16 months but there are various conflicting data points across the web about if this is enforced or not. Worst case scenario I only receive $150 and cell phone insurance, best case scenario I receive $300 and cell phone insurance.

"Be the data point you want to see!"

Personally, I will be using the Cash Wise as my new dedicated cell phone card since, although there are multiple cards that offer between 3%-5% on telecommunication purchases I figure that the value lost by using the 1.5% Cash Wise is made up for by the insurance.

La Quinta just launched their new service dubbed "Redeem Away" which allows users to redeem LQ points for cash towards a qualifying purchase. To enroll in this promo you will need any VISA credit/debit card and an LQ Returns account.

Glancing at the rates they offer they suggest that the enrollment bonus of 1,500 LQ Returns points is the equivalent value of a cup of coffee. This is a dismal redemption rate and we suggest that you instead look into redeeming LQ Returns for rewards nights. I signed up for the La Quinta Returns Visa by FNBO a few months back during my latest application spree and these 1,500 points will be a nice padding to my 25,000 balance! The card includes Gold status with LQ which comes with 2 "King Size Upgrades" each year. Looking at some properties this means literally a swap out of the bed if the room has the bed on a rolling cart but at other properties this equates to a room upgrade if the bed/bed frame is installed against the wall.

This promo is an easy way to earn 1,500 points for only a couple minutes of your time. I personally used a Google Voice phone number and was able to enroll in the promo successfully and the 1,500 points were reflected in my LQ account in just a few minutes.

This post is part of an ongoing series regarding opportunities for free points or miles.